Jump to content

Kevin Henkes

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from A House (Henkes book))
Kevin Henkes
Henkes at the Mazza Museum, 2011
Henkes at the Mazza Museum, 2011
Born (1960-11-27) November 27, 1960 (age 63)
Racine, Wisconsin, U.S.
OccupationIllustrator, writer
Alma materUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison
Period1981–present
GenreChildren's picture books
Notable works
Notable awardsCaldecott Medal
2005
Children's Literature Legacy Award
2020
Spouse
Laura Dronzek
(m. 1985)
[1]
Children2
Website
kevinhenkes.com

Kevin Henkes (born November 27, 1960) is an American writer and illustrator of children's books.[2] As an illustrator he won the Caldecott Medal for Kitten's First Full Moon (2004). Two of his books were Newbery Medal Honor Books, Olive's Ocean in 2004 and The Year of Billy Miller in 2014.[3] His picture book Waiting was named both a 2016 Caldecott Honor Book and a Geisel Honor Book. It was only the second time any author has won that combination of awards.[4][2]

In 2020, he won the Children's Literature Legacy Award.[5]

Career

[edit]

Kevin Henkes (pronounced HANK-us[6]) thought he would be an artist until his junior year of high school when one of his teachers encouraged him in his writing efforts. He discovered that children's books combined both his literary and artistic interests. Henkes writes and illustrates children's picture books, many of which feature mice as their main characters. He also writes middle-grade fiction. Henkes wrote his first book during his freshman year in college. The book's theme deals with how a child describes the pleasures of occasional solitude. This theme is common in many of Henkes' later books. Henkes, one of five children, says that many of his storylines are inspired by his family and the neighborhood where he grew up in Racine, Wisconsin. Henkes has written and illustrated around fifty critically acclaimed and award-winning picture books, early readers, and novels in his career thus far. Henkes' first book, All Alone, was published in 1981 by Greenwillow Books. More than 50 books followed, including Chrysanthemum and Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse. In 1994 Henkes was a runner-up for one of the premier American Library Association (ALA) children's book awards, the Caldecott Medal for Owen, one of his mouse books. In 2004, he was a runner-up for the Newbery Medal for Olive's Ocean. The next year he won the Caldecott Medal for Kitten's First Full Moon, recognizing that as the year's best children's picture book published in the U.S. All of his books to date have been published by Greenwillow Books. Henkes won the inaugural Phoenix Picture Book Award in 2013 for Owen. The Phoenix Awards from the Children's Literature Association recognize the best books that did not win major awards when they were first published twenty years earlier.[7][8] In 2014, he received a Newbery Honor for his book, The Year of Billy Miller.[9] In 2020 Henkes was awarded the ALA's Children's Literature Legacy Award, celebrating his entire body of work.[10] Henkes and his wife, Laura Dronzek, have been collaborating on a series of picture books based on the four seasons. Henkes writes the story, while Dronzek provides the acrylic painting illustrations. The next title expected is Winter is Here.[11]

Early and personal life

[edit]

Henkes was born November 27, 1960, in Racine, Wisconsin.[2] He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin–Madison.[12] He lives in Madison with his wife, artist Laura Dronzek, and their two children.[13]

Awards and honors

[edit]

Henkes has won numerous awards for both his books and as an author. In 2007, Henkes delivered the Arbuthnot Honor Lecture, an honor bestowed upon "an individual of distinction in the field of children’s literature ... chosen to write and deliver a lecture that will make a significant contribution to the world of children’s literature."[14] In 2008, he won the Council for Wisconsin Writers' Major Achievement Award.[15] In 2009, he was a finalist for the Astrid Lindgren Prize[16] and won the Jeremiah Ludington Award, which honors "an individual who has made a significant contribution to the paperback book business."[17] Lastly, in 2020, he won the Children’s Literature Legacy Award honoring an author or illustrator, published in the United States, whose books have made a "significant and lasting contribution to literature for children."[5] In 1987, Library of Congress named Once Around the Block one of the Best Books of the Year. In 2017, the American Booksellers Association inducted Kitten's First Full Moon into their Picture Book Hall of Fame.[18] The Year of Billy Miller was a New York Times bestselling book.[19] Kirkus Reviews and The Horn Book Magazine named it one of the best books of 2013.[19][20] Waiting was a New York Times bestselling book.[21] Kirkus Reviews and The Horn Book named it one of the best books of 2013.[21][20] The Horn Book has included many of Henkes's other books on their lists of the best children's books of the year: Jessica (1989), Julius, the Baby of the World (1990), Chrysanthemum (1991), Words of Stone (1992), Owen (1993), Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse (1996), Olive’s Ocean (2003), A Good Day (2007), Old Bear (2008), Birds (2009), Penny and Her Doll (2012), Penny and Her Marble (2013), Waiting (2015), Egg (2017), A Parade of Elephants (2018), Penny and Her Sled (2019), Billy Miller Makes a Wish (2021), and Oh, Sal (2022).[20]

Awards for Henkes's books
Year Title Award Result Ref.
1986 Grandpa & Bo Council of Wisconsin Writers Children’s Book Award Winner [15]
1988 The Zebra Wall Council of Wisconsin Writers Children’s Book Award Winner [15]
1991 Chrysanthemum Council of Wisconsin Writers Children’s Book Award Winner [15]
1993 Owen Archer-Eckblad Children’s Picture Book Award Winner [15]
Words of Stone Judy Lopez Memorial Award for Children's Literature Nominee
Elizabeth Burr / Worzalla Award Winner
1994 Owen Caldecott Medal Honor [22]
1996 Protecting Marie Elizabeth Burr / Worzalla Award Winner
1997 Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse American Booksellers Book of the Year: Children's Winner [23]
1999 Circle Dogs Charlotte Zolotow Award Highly commended [24]
2003 Owen's Marshmallow Chick Charlotte Zolotow Award Highly commended [24]
2004 Kitten's First Full Moon Betty Ren Wright Children’s Picture Book Award Honorable Mention [15]
Olive's Ocean Newbery Medal Honor [25]
2005 Kitten's First Full Moon Caldecott Medal Winner [26]
Charlotte Zolotow Award Winner [24]
Midwest Booksellers' Choice Award for Children's Picture Book Winner [27]
2007 A Good Day Midwest Booksellers' Choice Awards Winner [28]
Lilly's Big Day Charlotte Zolotow Award Highly commended [24]
2008 A Good Day Charlotte Zolotow Award Highly commended [24]
2009 Birds Great Lakes Book Awards Finalist [29]
Old Bear Charlotte Zolotow Award Highly commended [24]
Great Lakes Book Awards Finalist [29]
2010 Birds Charlotte Zolotow Award Honor [24]
My Garden Goodreads Choice Award for Picture Book Nominee [30]
2011 Little White Rabbit Goodreads Choice Award for Picture Book Nominee [31]
My Garden Charlotte Zolotow Award Highly commended [24]
2012 Jessica ALSC Notable Children's Recordings Selection [32]
2014 Penny and Her Marble Theodor Seuss Geisel Award Honor [33]
The Year of Billy Miller Elizabeth Burr / Worzalla Award Winner
Newbery Medal Honor [25]
E. B. White Read Aloud Award Finalist [34]
Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse ABA Picture Book Hall of Fame Finalist [34]
2015 Waiting Goodreads Choice Award for Best Picture Books Nominee [35]
2016 ALSC Notable Children's Books Selection [36][37]
Caldecott Medal Honor [38][39]
Charlotte Zolotow Award Highly commended [24]
Theodor Seuss Geisel Award Honor [40]
2018 Egg Eisner Award for Best Publication for Early Readers Finalist [41]
In the Middle of Fall Charlotte Zolotow Award Highly commended [24]
2019 A Parade of Elephants ALSC Notable Children's Books Selection [42]
Winter is Here Charlotte Zolotow Award Highly commended [24]
A Parade of Elephants ALSC Notable Children's Books Selection [43]
2020 Sun Flower Lion Charlotte Zolotow Award Highly commended [24]
2020 Children's Literature Legacy Award Winner [5]
2022 Little Houses Charlotte Zolotow Award Highly commended [24]

Publications

[edit]

Novels

[edit]

Standalone books

[edit]
  • Return to Sender (1984, ISBN 978-0-1403-8556-4)
  • Two Under Par (1987, ISBN 978-0-0607-5695-6)
  • The Zebra Wall (1988, ISBN 978-0-0607-3303-2)
  • Words of Stone (1992, ISBN 978-0-0607-8230-6)
  • Protecting Marie (1995, ISBN 978-0-1403-8320-1)
  • Sun & Spoon (1997, ISBN 978-0-6881-5232-1)
  • The Birthday Room (1999, ISBN 978-0-0644-3828-5)
  • Olive's Ocean (2003, ISBN 978-0-0605-3545-2)
  • Bird Lake Moon (2008, ISBN 978-0-0614-7076-9)
  • Junonia (2011, ISBN 978-0-0619-6417-6)
  • Sweeping up the Heart (2019, ISBN 978-0-0628-5254-0)
  • Oh, Sal (2022, ISBN 978-0-0632-4492-4)

Billy Miller books

[edit]

The Billy Miller books are published by Greenwillow Books.

Picture books

[edit]

Standalone books

[edit]

Mouse books

[edit]

The Mouse books are published by Greenwillow Books.

Penny books

[edit]

The Penny books are published by Greenwillow Books.

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Flynn, Kitty; Parravano, Martha V. (March 8, 2016). "Five questions for Laura Dronzek". The Horn Book. Archived from the original on July 7, 2018. Retrieved July 6, 2018.
  2. ^ a b c "Henkes, Kevin 1960-". Encyclopedia.com. Archived from the original on 2022-03-14. Retrieved 2022-03-14.
  3. ^ Handy, Bruce (May 13, 2007). "Getting Better All the Time". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2012-02-28. Retrieved 2010-11-17.
  4. ^ Worland, Gayle (12 January 2016). "New Caldecott honor a historic win for Madison author Kevin Henkes". Wisconsin State Journal. Archived from the original on 14 January 2016. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  5. ^ a b c Communications and Marketing Office (2020-01-27). "Kevin Henkes wins 2020 Children's Literature Legacy Award". American Library Association. Archived from the original on 2022-08-18. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  6. ^ "TeachingBooks | Author & Book Resources to Support Reading Education". www.teachingbooks.net. Archived from the original on 2022-05-23. Retrieved 2022-03-14.
  7. ^ "Phoenix Picture Book Award" Archived 2013-12-12 at the Wayback Machine. Children's Literature Association. 2013. Retrieved 2013-12-10.
  8. ^ "Children's Literature Association 2013 Phoenix Award panel" Archived 2013-12-13 at the Wayback Machine. Call for Papers, 40th Annual Children's Literature Association Conference, University of Southern Mississippi, Biloxi, Mississippi, June 13–15, 2013. Call for Papers (call-for-papers.sas.upenn.edu). Retrieved 2013-12-10.
  9. ^ And the Newbery, Caldecott award winners are... Archived 2019-08-23 at the Wayback Machine, Ashley Strickland, CNN, January 27, 2014
  10. ^ JCARMICHAEL (2020-01-27). "Kevin Henkes wins 2020 Children's Literature Legacy Award". News and Press Center. Archived from the original on 2020-01-29. Retrieved 2020-01-29.
  11. ^ Kolker, Jeanne (September 4, 2017). "With autumn comes latest Henkes-Dronzek collaboration". Wisconsin State Journal. Archived from the original on March 27, 2018. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  12. ^ Etter, Nicole Sweeney (Fall 2014). "Kevin Henkes x'83: Connecting with Kids | On Wisconsin". Archived from the original on 2022-02-26. Retrieved 2022-03-14.
  13. ^ "New Caldecott honor a historic win for Madison author Kevin Henkes, by Gayle Worland". 12 January 2016. Archived from the original on 2019-04-12. Retrieved 2019-04-12.
  14. ^ Clark, Larra; Morales, Macey (2006-07-28). "Kevin Henkes to deliver 2007 Arbuthnot Honor Lecture". American Library Association. Archived from the original on 2015-12-17. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  15. ^ a b c d e f "Contest History & Past Winners". Council for Wisconsin Writers. Archived from the original on 2022-06-29. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  16. ^ "Finalists Named for Astrid Lindgren Prize". Publishers Weekly. 2009-09-24. Archived from the original on 2023-04-04. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  17. ^ "Awards: EPA's Jeremiah Ludington Award". Shelf Awareness. 2009-01-07. Archived from the original on 2022-12-07. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  18. ^ "Awards: Indies Choice; E.B. White Read-Aloud; Dylan Thomas". Shelf Awareness. 2017-05-11. Archived from the original on 2022-06-10. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  19. ^ a b "The Year of Billy Miller". Kirkus Reviews. 2013-04-24. Archived from the original on 2022-09-27. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
  20. ^ a b c "Horn Book Fanfare 1938 to present". The Horn Book. Archived from the original on 2021-10-30. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  21. ^ a b "Waiting". Kirkus Reviews. 2015-05-06. Archived from the original on 2022-09-27. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  22. ^ "Owen". ALSC Book & Media Awards Shelf. Archived from the original on 2021-07-29. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  23. ^ "Children's Prize - American Booksellers Book of the Year". University of Calgary. Archived from the original on 2021-11-27. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  24. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Charlotte Zolotow Award (for Outstanding Writing in Picture Books)". Cooperative Children's Book Center. Archived from the original on 2022-11-27. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  25. ^ a b "Newbery Medal Winners & Honor Books, 1922 – Present" (PDF). Association for Library Service to Children. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2023-04-04. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  26. ^ Clark, Larra; Morales, Macey (2005-01-17). "American Library Association announces award winners". American Library Association. Archived from the original on 2007-06-09. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  27. ^ "First Midwest Booksellers' Choice Awards". Shelf Awareness. 2005-08-01. Archived from the original on 2017-10-01. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  28. ^ "Awards: Midwest Booksellers' Choices". Shelf Awareness. 2007-08-06. Archived from the original on 2017-10-02. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  29. ^ a b "Awards: Royal Society Prize Shortlist; GLIBA Finalists". Shelf Awareness. 2009-06-29. Archived from the original on 2017-10-02. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  30. ^ "My Garden". Goodreads. Archived from the original on 2021-07-11. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  31. ^ "Little White Rabbit". Goodreads. Archived from the original on 2022-08-08. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  32. ^ "Jessica". ALSC Book & Media Awards. Archived from the original on 2023-04-04. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  33. ^ "Penny and Her Marble". ALSC Book & Media Awards Shelf. Archived from the original on 2022-12-10. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  34. ^ a b "2014 Indies Choice, E.B. White Read-Aloud Awards Finalists". Publishers Weekly. 2014-03-20. Archived from the original on 2023-01-29. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  35. ^ "Waiting". Goodreads. Archived from the original on 2022-04-28. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  36. ^ "Waiting". ALSC Book & Media Awards. Archived from the original on 2022-12-10. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  37. ^ "Notable Children's Books: 2016". Booklist. 2016-03-01. Archived from the original on 2021-10-24. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  38. ^ "Caldecott Honor Books: 2016". Booklist. 2016-01-11. Archived from the original on 2022-10-25. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  39. ^ "Matt de la Peña Wins Newbery; Sophie Blackall Wins Caldecott". Shelf Awareness. 2016-01-12. Archived from the original on 2022-12-04. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  40. ^ "Waiting | Awards & Grants". American Library Association. 2016-10-13. Archived from the original on 2023-04-04. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  41. ^ Ridgely, Charlie (2018-04-26). "Complete List of 2018 Eisner Award Nominees Announced". Comics. Archived from the original on 2021-06-09. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  42. ^ "Notable Children's Books: 2019". Booklist. 2019-03-15. Archived from the original on 2021-10-29. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
  43. ^ "A Parade of Elephants". ALSC Book & Media Awards. Archived from the original on 2023-04-04. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
[edit]